Orange Juice Recipe

Prepare fruit

Rinse the oranges under cool water. Firmly roll each orange on the countertop with your palm for 10–15 seconds to break down the membranes and release more juice. Cut each orange in half crosswise.

Extract the juice

Using a handheld citrus reamer, manual juicer, or electric citrus press, juice all orange halves into a large bowl or pitcher. If any seeds fall in, remove them with a spoon.

Strain (optional)

For a smooth, pulp-free juice, pour the squeezed juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pitcher, pressing gently on the pulp to extract remaining liquid. If you prefer pulpy juice, skip straining.

Make quick syrup

Combine the granulated sugar (2 tbs) with the warm water (30 ml) in a small cup or bowl and stir until the sugar fully dissolves (about 20–30 seconds). This creates a quick simple syrup that blends into cold juice without grit.

Finish the juice

Add the dissolved sugar to the orange juice. Stir in the cold water (100 ml) to adjust strength and mouthfeel, then add the fresh lemon juice (1 tbs) and the fine salt (0.125 tsp). Taste and adjust: add a little more water to dilute, more sugar to sweeten, or another 1/2 tbs lemon juice for brightness as desired.

Chill briefly

If not serving immediately, refrigerate the juice for 10–15 minutes to cool. It can also be poured over ice right away if preferred.

Fill each glass with a portion of ice (about 1/2 cup ice per serving).

Pour the prepared orange juice over the ice, dividing evenly among glasses.

Garnish each glass with an orange slice on the rim and a mint sprig. Stir once with a spoon or straw and serve immediately.